Trouble at Takapu Island
As the grass continues to grow on Takapu Island local residents and businesses have been left in the dark over the future of the site. Auckland property owner Rob Vincent had been in discussions with Takapu Island Development Ltd over purchasing the site, until contract negotiations fell apart over Christmas. Around this time Mr Vincent?s three Wellington Mitre 10 stores located at Tory Street, Crofton Downs and Rongotai went into receivership. In mid-2009 Mr Vincent told The Northern Courier the site was set to become a ?comprehensive retail centre?, which he believed would create several hundred new jobs for the community. The site, approximately 14,000 square metres of retail space, had a large portion designated for a Mitre 10 Mega store. The original developer Ron Dixon, a Takapu Island Development Ltd shareholder, says they are ?repackaging? the site for sale. ?We had been trying to on-sell to Rob Vincent but the contract fell through. ?There are a few reasons why the contract could not proceed,? says Mr Dixon, Director of Lower Hutt based Dixon and Dunlop. However, the structural readiness of Takapu Island was not a factor in the stalled deal. Mr Dixon says the site is ?ready for occupation? and they are only waiting on the Wellington City Council to sign-off on the landscaping work. ?We are looking for someone else for the site and assessing our options, it?s possible a large box store will fit into that position, a Bunnings, Mitre 10, or Warehouse type,? he says. Tawa Business Association chairperson Karen Pettigrew says it?s unlikely a Bunnings would move in because there is one in Porirua, and Johnsonville has a Warehouse. She says the Business Association assumed a Mitre 10 was going on the site but have not been in contact with developers. ?To be honest we lost touch with what was happening there, who knows really,? laughs Mrs Pettigrew. She says developments at the site would not adversely affect Tawa?s shopping district and could work to attract more shoppers. ?It will not have a negative effect, and it might work the same way as Dress Mart does at the entrance to Tawa,? she says. What do you think? Is there something better that could be located at Takapu Island rather than retail? What would you like to see happen with the site? Email The Northern Courier or phone 237 3208.
